Perhaps the timing of the off-field issues and the NFL's labor nightmare are simply coincidence, but regardless, Cowboys management doesn't seem too optimistic about what will happen to Dez if the staff can't talk to him for several months.

"You have to be worried, based on the stuff he's been through and the history of having done it before, it's kind of a pattern with him," said one of Breer's sources about Bryant. "It's not being able to take care of the things that you'd expect the normal 22 year old to be able to handle.

"Sometimes, it's the simplest things. And a lot of it is not his fault, it's because of the way he was brought up. He's got a good heart, and the best intentions, but all this stuff happens and it takes away from that."

This isn't about the fact that Bryant is a bad person, by the way. He's not, and the Cowboys don't think that. This is about Bryant needing the support system that the Cowboys' organization offers him.

Unfortunately, because of the lockout, the Cowboys can't talk or meet with Bryant -- meaning they have to sit by helplessly and hope that their first-round investment and would-be superstar receiver can mature all by himself.

Now that Cowboys WR Dez Bryant is allowed back inside NorthPark Center mall – and thank the lord for that! – he now can focus his attention on a lawsuit from a Dallas-area jeweler who claims Bryant owes him $246,000. Pro Football Talk reports that Bryant received $267,000 of custom jewelry in 2010 from A+A Diamonds, Ltd. d/b/a Rafaello & Co., but that he only paid $21,000 for it.

Those orders range from January 2010 to May 2010. Bryant is in the middle of a five-year, $11.8 million contract ($8.63 million of that is guaranteed). Hopefully for Bryant’s sake, he’s put some money away in anticipation of the lockout, because he might need some of it to pay off his alleged jewelry debt.

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Great news, everybody! According to the Fort Worth Star Telegram,Cowboys WR Dez Bryant is allowed to return to NorthPark Center mall where he can resume hanging out with friends, browsing the stores and eating the tasty samples at the food court.*

*I assume this is contingent on Bryant wearing his pants at an appropriate level.

Bryant, you’ll recall, was given a warning last week by two off-duty cops for allegedly sagging his pants too low (though this theory was eventually discounted) and for yelling obscenities (Bryant admitted this) and was told that if he returned to the mall in the next 90 days, he would be subject to arrest.

No more, though. Bryant is free and clear, and life, once again, is looking good.

"The mall apologized. Dez apologized. It's over," Bryant’s agent, David Wells, told the paper. "It's a learning experience he can grow from this."

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Hall of Fame CB Deion Sanders used to mentor Cowboys WR Dez Bryant, but in recent months, that relationship has changed and they no longer work together.

So, perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise when Sanders criticized Bryant (he of the alleged droopy pants , though some of that theory has been debunked by now) on ESPN 103.3, saying Bryant had been ignorant and that he wasn’t surprised by the incident at NorthPark Center mall.

Since the story came out – Bryant apparently was sagging his pants at the mall and was asked to lift them, and after he refused, two off-duty cops escorted him out of the mall and told him he was banned from returning for the next three months and he cursed at them – Bryant has told his side of the story.

Bryant told ESPN Dallas that he was guilty of using profanity, but that was it.

After hearing Sander’s comments, Bryant told ESPN Dallas, “I wish Deion would come to me as a man and talk to me. I've been reaching out to Deion. I've never done anything wrong to Deion or disrespected him. I've never lied to Deion."

Sanders said he stopped working with Bryant, because Bryant was dishonest. Bryant refutes that as well:

Meanwhile, Bryant said Sanders has refused to talk to him since he backed out of his marketing deal with Under Armour, a popular shoe and apparel company that also outfits Sanders' youth athletic programs. The deal fell apart, according to Bryant, because he determined during last year's minicamps that the company's cleats weren't the right fit for his feet.

Bryant, who wears Nike cleats but does not have a shoe deal, said Sanders has ignored repeated text messages from him since then.

"I never knew the reason for Deion not saying anything to me," Bryant said. "The only thing I can believe is that when I stopped talking to Under Armour, Deion stopped talking to me. I never knew what Prime's problem was.

"That's my decision. That has nothing to do with Prime. That made me feel he must be getting something from Under Armour."

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*Whether the NFL’s conduct policy applies to them in the event of a lockout is unclear. Even for commissioner Roger Goodell, apparently.

While Cowboys WR Dez Bryant was not arrested Saturday for alleged criminal trespass at the NorthPark Center mall in Dallas, two off-duty police officers gave him a warning and told him he can’t return to the mall for three months or he’ll be subject to arrest.

This, according to WFAA.com, which reports that Bryant – who apparently has a history of disturbances at that mall – and his associates were asked to leave after they refused to raise pants that were exposing their underwear.

Bryant was quoted as saying, “What the [expletive] are you stopping me, like I stole something.”

Give me a second: I’m trying to think of a more ridiculous reason to be given a warning at a mall that could lead to your arrest, but I’m having a difficult time of it.

UPDATED (7:45 p.m.):Josina Anderson spoke with Bryant's advisor, David Wells. Here's what he had to say:

"I was an actual witness to the fact that there was no citation or verbal warning issued to Dez Bryant at NorthPark on Saturday in my presence. Furthermore, Dez was not one of the guys wearing his pants low."

UPDATED (7:48 p.m.): ESPN Dallas' Calvin Watkins spoke with Bryant, and Bryant said his pants were up, he's not banned from the mall and it was just a big misunderstanding.

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The Dolphins announced earlier today that general manager Jeff Ireland had signed a multi-year contract extension, and it must come as a relief, though not necessarily a big surprise, to Ireland (and, I suppose, to those who want stability in the organization).

While Ireland certainly has garnered some positive accomplishments since taking over his role after the 2007 season, he had to wonder – at least, slightly – about his job security now that Bill Parcells is basically out of the picture.

Ireland was one of Parcell’s guys – Parcells hired Ireland when he took over the team’s football operations after they worked together in Dallas – but after Parcells stepped away to become a team consultant, one had to wonder if owner Stephen Ross really thought Ireland was the horse he could ride.

Apparently, that is the case.

“The decision to extend Jeff’s contract as our General Manager was an easy one," said Ross in a statement. "The young talent that Jeff has assembled during his three years with the Dolphins has made a profound impact on our franchise’s recovery from the 1-15 season of 2007. Jeff has my full support moving forward as we pursue our goals to build the best and brightest front office in the National Football League and ultimately to win a Super Bowl championship for all of South Florida and Dolphin fans around the world.”

But he’s also missed out on big picks – 2008 second-round pick Phillip Merling and 2009 second-round pick Pat White come to mind – while the jury is still out on QB Chad Henne (2008 second-round pick).

Plus, there was that incident when he, in a pre-Draft interview, asked former Oklahoma State and current Cowboys WR Dez Bryant about the rumors that his mother was a prostitute. Ireland later apologized for the misstep.

But Ross, unlike his latest dealings with coach Tony Sparano, made this transaction rather clean, because so far, Ireland has done enough to impress.

"He's an excellent judge of talent," CBS’ own analyst Charlie Casserly told the Palm Beach Post earlier this month. "He has a clear vision of what he wants the team to look like on the field, and he wants to have a physical team up front on both lines. Any time you have that, you have a chance to win."

And he seems to have the skills, etc., to become a future superstar. Which is why it's kind of surprising that the Cowboys would consider trading him. But they at least wouldn't hang up on anyone who called to inquire about Dez.

However, as Gregg Rosenthal noted, this is the type of thing that the team will quash pretty quickly -- the last thing they want is Bryant hearing they'd be willing to trade him.

At the same time, though, they would be willing to listen, because while Bryant's talented as all get out, he's certainly not on the "we're not sure why you bothered to call and ask" list of players in the NFL.

However a fairly weak draft class could hamper any possibility of this becoming realistic; it was presumed that the 'Boys would need a top-15 or so pick in order to move Bryant.

It's all moot entirely, though, if there's no labor agreement before the NFL Draft. Or the 2011 season.